Why was Ecuador’s goal against the Netherlands disallowed?

Ecuador and the Netherlands continued their World Cup campaigns on Friday with both sides coming into the game off the back of wins in their opening games.

Cody Gakpo gave the Dutch an early lead with a rocket from just outside the area, though Ecuador grew into the game and thought they had equalised when Pervis Estupinan diverted Angelo Preciado’s long-range hit beyond Andries Noppert.

However, Brighton defender Estupinan’s celebrations were curtailed as an offside flag went up. The goal was subsequently checked by the VAR team and the on-field decision stood.

Estupinan displayed a striker’s touch to touch Preciado’s smash into the back of the net through a swarm of Dutch bodies. There seemed to be little wrong with the goal in real time and highlights of the strike eventually showed a Ecuadorian player obstructing the sight of goalkeeper Noppert.

Jackson Porozo was adjudged to have been blocking the Heerenveen stopper’s vision. However, replays of the goal show the judgement was harsh on the South Americans.

Noppert sees the shot from Preciado come in and begins his dive to the right side of his goal, but the ball hits Estupinan and ricochets into the opposite corner. Porozo’s positioning did not affect Noppert’s vision of the shot coming towards him, even if the ball only narrowly avoids missing hitting him.